claiming taxi fare as a travel expense

[gullarm]

Im currently doing up one of my BTL's that has been trashed.

I drive there every night after work its only about 7 miles away.

My wife is away over the weekend taking the car and kids with her, can I claim the taxi or even bus fare as an expense. I will be making 3 visits so 6 taxi or bus trips. And maybe a visit to B&Q.

Cheers.

[quarterday]

Of course, you can claim it, its for HMRC to disallow it. I doubt that they would.
After all, if you tendered the work out to a builder he would include in his price a figure to cover mileage expenses. Getting there and back is, arguably, just as much a cost of carrying out the works as the paint you slap on the walls!

[Telometer]

Of course, you can claim it, its for HMRC to disallow it. I doubt that they would.

Not correct. In the UK we have self assessment, you may only claim something if it is allowable. With the new penalty regimes (with penalties of up to 100% of the tax underassessed) I would not recommend haphazard claims like that.



After all, if you tendered the work out to a builder he would include in his price a figure to cover mileage expenses. Getting there and back is, arguably, just as much a cost of carrying out the works as the paint you slap on the walls!

Absolutely not so as the builder is working for you, whereas you are engaged in your own rental business. So travel expenses are based on the "place of business". If you have a letting agent the place of business is his offices, so your mileage is restricted to the lower of the distance from his offices and the distance from your home. If you do not have a letting agent the place of business is your home.

As for bus/taxi; yes the claim is allowable, but on the same basis as above - so the cost of transport from your letting agent's offices.